If you have ever had a garden destroyed by rabbits you know how much of a pest, cute little bunnies can be. As much as we love wildlife our garden is meant to feed our family so I make a point to keep critters out of the garden. My dog is a big help with this but he likes to be lazy inside on hot summer days, so I have to make an effort to repel rabbits and put up rabbit proof barriers on areas of the garden they are likely to attack and fresh vulnerable transplants in the spring. These ideas will help you repel rabbits and keep them from eating your garden.
Easy ways to repel rabbits from your garden
Like I said my dog is a big help at repelling rabbits as he chases them out of the yard rather quickly. Other predators like cats are a big help. Placing food out at the back fence does a great job of encouraging the local strays to guard my fence line. Cats and dogs can be effective rabbit repellent but you must keep them out of your garden beds as well so they are not always the best option.
You don’t have to have predator physically in your yard at all times to help repel rabbits. In fact, just the hair of a predator or human can leave behind a scent that sends rabbits running for cover. Next time you groom your dog or brush your cat you can place the pet hair around your garden to help repel rabbits. The same goes for when you give your family hair cuts or even from cleaning out your brush. The hair is a great addition to your garden. Not homely does hair clippings repel rabbits it also breaks down in your garden to feed it. While you could compost the hair putting it directly in the garden has some big advantages. If you have long hair in your brush cut it up before placing in the garden to help protect birds from getting hurt.
Fake predators work as well. This can be as simple as toy snakes or as elaborate as owls perched around your garden that turn their heads and make sounds when motion sets them off. Rabbits can become familiar with these and begin to catch on to the fact they are fake so make a point to move them around your garden often.
Like mosquitoes, I like to plant things that rabbits do not like around my yard and in my garden. Marigolds are my go-to garden edger because they repel rabbits, mosquitoes, and other pests while attracting pollinators like bees, and butterflies to my garden. Sage and mint make my herb garden less appealing to rabbits helping protect the less fragrant herbs and salad greens planted in a garden bed in the center.
Place noisemakers around your garden to scare rabbits off. Rabbits are a very skittish pray animal making them easy to scare off with loud sounds. Placing wind chimes, tin cans on strings, or cowbells around your garden to make a clatter when the wind blows is a great way to repel rabbits from your garden.
You can use commercial rabbit repellents to protect your garden from rabbits or make your own. To make your own rabbit repellent blend red pepper flakes and garlic in water until smooth and spray young plants that are likely to be targeted as rabbit food. You will want to refresh this after each rain.
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